Welcome to the new version of European Tribune. It's just a new layout, so everything should work as before - please report bugs here.
Display:
...and specifically on what you say on the "Made In..." labels: I find that indeed the origin is the Merchandise Marks Act of 1887, though this protectionist measure doesn't seem to have been specifically against German products originally (and the measure backfired, see pdf page 3 here or this 1897 parliamentary debate).

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri Aug 10th, 2012 at 07:55:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I found this that appears to match my recollection.

Made in Germany - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The label was originally introduced in Britain by the Merchandise Marks Act 1887[1], to mark foreign produce more obviously, as British society considered foreign produce to be inferior to domestic produce, and tried to get buyers to adhere to the concept of 'buying British'[citation needed].

In 1894, the German Reichstag's commission already reported that after suffering slight losses, German manufacturers soon found the label to be of good use since they could distinguish themselves better from the British manufacturers.[this quote needs a citation] This led to more and more manufacturers voluntarily applying the label, and not even World War I, in which marks were mandatory in Britain in order to boycott the Central Powers countries' products,[citation needed], could dent the growing popularity of the mark.

The term Made in Germany was soon associated with product reliability, quality and even perfection[citation needed].

My memory, it needs citations. Can't find where the narrative comes from, but I am apparently not alone in picking it up.

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

by A swedish kind of death on Fri Aug 10th, 2012 at 05:15:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:

Top Diaries

Pentecost steam

by DoDo - May 20
17 comments

A Nomad's Life (A Farewell)

by Nomad - May 10
14 comments

Simple Solar Principles

by gmoke - May 17
2 comments

Rail News Blogging #24

by DoDo - May 12
11 comments

Ferguson hates on Keynes

by Migeru - May 6
100 comments

Occasional Series